SOCHI, Russia -- Honda will take the first engine penalty of 2017 after changing the major power unit components on Stoffel Vandoorne's car after FP1 in Russia.
Honda's engine problems have been extensive this season and it arrived in Sochi with Vandoorne using his fourth MGU-H and turbo components -- the final ones allowed before incurring a penalty. At the end of what looked like an issue-free opening session for McLaren, Vandoorne returned to the garage complaining of a lack of power.
The team then detected an MGU-K problem, with Honda deciding to change the entire power unit in order to limit the amount of track time lost and allow for a full investigation of the MGU-K problem.